Spottyappy Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Very sadly, found 11 of our 12 chooks dead or missing during the week,in one attack. I am not convinced it was a fox, so perhaps others who have sadly experienced similar attacks,could enlighten me as to what may have killed them. Thus, avoiding a repeat if I restock. When I got there, 3 were totally missing, there was a few feathers dotted about, but not the masses I have seen with fox attacks. No limbs or wounded birds. The sole survivor was unharmed,possibly as was sitting so in trance like state and didn't move. The other hens appeared intact, but one had a bite out from under her wing. They were piled up, in two separate piles,at the the back of the run. No missing limbs, or torn limbs etc. The run is about 8 feet tall, I have wire netting along the ground to about 2/3feet out. No wire was disturbed, no holes seen. Along the back is a hedge, about 12 feet tall, and one side of the run literally butts onto it. The external mesh still goes to a height of approx 8'. The whole run is netting,mostly with smaller holes than chicken wire, and stronger,however ran out on one small area and so it has sheep type netting, but doubled to reduce the size of holes. The holes are so small that our cat can't get through them. There is a ditch behind the run with water in, so unlikely to have been a stoat or weasel as gather they dislike water. Would a mink kill like this though? I have seen no evidence of mink in the area, but imagine they will travel. What would pile the bodies up,but not leave a fox like trail of limbs and blood? The only external evidence is some few feet away from the run, going into the hedge and ditch, where there has been an egg dropped, and a couple-literally- of feathers. No feathers on the wire or anywhere obvious that an animal may have dragged a chicken out by. Any help appreciated, as whole family is upset at our chooks loss, and how the culprit got in, and can be prevented from doing so again. We put cameras up over the next couple of nights, but whatever it was, did not return. Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Sorry to hear it. It sounds very much like a fox attack to me. Other possible culprits could be badgers (they tend to eat their victims on the spot where they killed them) or mink/stoats/weasels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Sorry to hear about your chooks. What a horrid discovery for you to make. I am afraid I do not have any ideas about what killed them. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foot-tapper506 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Hi I have experienced exactly the same sort of attack on my two little old ladies which left me devastated and puzzled. I returned from a weekend away to find them gone. There were just a few feathers in the nestbox (and two eggs!) No holes in the netting, no blood, no signs whatsoever. I scoured the garden for any signs of body parts and found just one feather by my back fence which is 7' high and is on the opposite side of the garden to the coop. I then realised that my wheelie bin had been moved which is at the front of the house so it was right next to the side gate. I have come to the conclusion that my two girlies were stolen The garden is very quiet now and I miss them a lot. I live near Bletchley and wonder if anyone else has suffered a loss in this way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandychick Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 So sorry to hear this It does sound like a fox to me. I lost all mine to a fox a few days ago and they were all left intact and none were taken away. If there is no sign of digging under the run, and no netting removed it has to be something that can clear an 8ft fence or squeeze through the sheep netting. I think that rules out a badger, so would probably be a fox or mink. Maybe carry on with the cameras for a few more days and hope that curiousity brings whatever it was back. If possible, netting the roof might be the answer? I hope you find a solution, and that your surviving chicken gets over the shock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Really sorry to hear about your poor chickens - how horrible . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LottyJ1 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Sounds like a fox - I have seen them scale huge fences/walls before so 8ft isn't a problem. They are also very active now. You will need a roof on the run to stop it happening again - sorry for your losses and I hope the one left survives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
